Tamil Nadu is brewing and the battle lines are being erected in every nook and corner of the state by the ruling DMK taking on the Governor and the Central government. Playing politics is not a wrong act in a democracy on contrary playing politics is vital for sustenance of democracy. But, if the politics is played using divisive rhetoric and anti-national tendencies, it will do more harm than good to the country. In the context of silence by large sections of mainstream media on this issue, this article will look to how anti national rhetoric by DMK is scaling new heights in light of evolving political situation in Tamil Nadu.
The Divisive ‘Dravidian Model’ Politics
Recently, DMK Organizational Secretary RS Bharathi sparked a controversy by saying that North Indians sell panipuri in Tamil Nadu and the Governor is also like them. He also compared the Governor to a migrant worker from Bihar and said that he would not have left without being beaten had Jayalalithaa been alive.
“I had earlier stated that those who sell Soanpapdi and Panipuri don’t know the pride of Tamil Nadu. I said this in a meeting. I came to know that many have come from Bihar and I think the Governor (RN Ravi) has similarly come by train,” DMK leader Bharathi said in a public meeting.
The outburst came after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin had accused the Governor of “delivering a speech that was extempore and deviated from the approved text.” Bharathi questioned why the Governor deviated from the speech. Continuing his derogatory comments he further stated that, “There is an old saying in villages, ‘don’t count the leaves (banana leaves used as plates for feast), if you are asked to pick it’…Governor’s job is similar to picking up leaves,” the DMK leader said.
Bharathi said, “The address is like the food on the leaves… You (Governor) are a cook. You should have cooked and left it at that… if you plan to keep something, the person who is eating will he be quiet? I’m not boasting.
He also indirectly tried to instigate violence against the Governor saying “If it was Jayalalithaa’s rule, he (Governor) would have been attacked and that party men also would not be quiet.”
This is just tip of the anti-national rhetoric or activities by the DMK, in fact DMK has indulged in similar actions in the past also bringing out its true nature for all to see.
Treading the path of its predecessor Dravidar Kazhagam (DK), the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) catapulted itself to power through the anti-Hindi agitations. While there was some merit to the agitations back in the 1960s when the then Congress government both at the Centre and State were inorganically trying to make Hindi a link-language for the country, the DMK has always harped on to the anti-Hindi rhetoric time and again to inflame linguistic passions which often morphs into anti-India positions pitting Tamil Nadu against rest of India.
DMK’s Anti-Nationalism: An Inherited Legacy
Both before and after Indian independence, EV Ramasamy Naicker (hailed as Periyar by his followers), spearheaded movements, which had only one objective, to create tension between north and south Indians. Another ideology has emerged from this movement, which has created a big gap between Hindus in the name of opposition to Brahminism, which has benefitted the missionaries and religious elements who converted. This, in turn, brings massive demographic changes to the whole of South India. The agitations may be era appropriate but the DMK hasn’t progressed from its ideology of divisiveness till now. If we look in to the past and check on statement made by prominent DMK leader A Raja this will become clear.
A Raja made a provocative statement saying, “I urge the Centre to grant us autonomy. We will not stop our fight until Tamil Nadu gets state autonomy. He said that the idea of Tamil Nadu apart from India was advocated by his ideological leader Periyar. However, we have set aside that demand for democracy and India’s unity so far. I urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah not to force us to revive the demand. Please give us the autonomy of the State.”
What is surprising here is that when Raja said this, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin, was sitting on the dais. None of the ministers or the chief minister of the state himself stopped or opposed this statement of A. Raja. In fact, we could point out that this anti-national rhetoric is even endorsed by CM MK Stalin.
The DMK leaders have always made anti-Hindu, anti-Dalit, anti-Brahmin, and anti-North Indian statements. But this political party which used to oppose north Indians, Brahmins, Hindi language has now gradually turned into an anti-national outfit.
This is evident from the way the DMK government handled the Coimbatore blast case that happened on the wee hours of Deepavali eve. The DMK has been hesitant in calling the incident a terror attack and has been trivializing it as a ‘gas cylinder blast’, despite the NIA arresting various members linked to radical Islamic terror outfits. Has the poison in the DMK, which is opposed to PM Narendra Modi and the BJP, increased so much that they are now eager to break the country into pieces? Have they decided to sacrifice the country, religion, and society in order to save their vote bank and stay in power? Whatever the answer, this situation has become quite disturbing, and if it is not reined in, the consequences will be catastrophic.
The DMK is still living in the 1965 era. “Hindi down, Hindi down” is redundant and anti-national attitude is dangerous. Anti-Hindi and Dravidianism as a political weapon have crossed its expiry date. DMK ministers may bicker that paani poori sellers in Tamil Nadu are North Indians. Stalin’s bogey of anti-Hindi and anti-national rhetoric can be linked to one major fact the DMK wants to categorise the BJP in Tamil Nadu as a Hindi and North Indian party. The DMK’s internal assessment is that the BJP in Tamil Nadu has grown, and in 2024, it may be a threat to Stalin’s stronghold. Whatever it is, politics must be separated from anti-national rhetoric. As the leaders indulges in this dangerous game of politics it shouldn’t be at the cost of compromising integrity of the nation.
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